My Genealogy Hound

Nelson Walter, a prominent member of one of the representative families of Oakland County, a large land owner in Independence township and a leading citizen of Clarkston, was born February 27, 1847, in Independence township, Oakland County, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah (Clark) Walter, the former of whom was born in England and the latter in the State of New York.

Jacob Walter came to America at the age of twenty-one years and in 1836 came from Oneida County, New York, to Michigan, settling for two years on the banks of the Maumee River, in Ohio. He then removed to the farm he located in section 8, two miles north of Clarkston, and there the others were born, his family consisting of eight children, as follows: Julia, Emeline W., Celestia, Harrison, Sidney, Laura (deceased), Nelson and Nettie (deceased). Our subject’s paternal grandparents passed their lives in England, but his grandfather and grandmother Clark, important people in Independence township, died in July, 1845, in this county.

With the exception of two years spent at Saginaw, Michigan, operating a dairy farm, our subject has spent his life in Independence township, throughout which he is well and favorably known. Mr. Walter owns a fine farm of 150 acres in sections 20 and 22, which he purchased in 1874 and upon which he lived a number of years, in 1883 removing to Clarkston where he built one of the most beautiful and convenient homes in the place. The farm is now operated by tenants and is one of the most productive in the township. Mr. Walter is known as one of the largest potato growers in this section, having raised 40,000 bushels of the tubers in the past 10 years. He has a fine apple orchard of 20 acres and has been one of the large and successful sheep raisers of his part of the county, having sometimes a flock of 500.

Mr. Walter has always supported the Republican party, and takes an active interest in that party’s welfare. He has been highway commissioner of the township for two terms, during which time the roads were most carefully looked after and economically repaired. For about 10 years he has been a member of the School Board and since locating in Clarkston has served as village trustee and street commissioner. For three years he has been treasurer of the Monitor Fire Insurance Company of Oakland County; and he is also superintendent of the Lake View Cemetery, one of the most beautiful cities of the dead in the county. Fraternally he belongs to Allen Tent, No. 85, Knights of the Maccabees. On February 20, 1872, Mr. Walter was married to Josephine Ainsworth, who was born in St. Clair County, Michigan, and was a daughter of Henry and Hetty Ainsworth, who were pioneers in Michigan. Mrs. Walter died December 11, 1886, aged but 37 years. She was a woman of most amiable character and of exceptional literary ability. She was well known as a successful high school teacher, prior to her marriage. Four children were born to this union, namely: Harry N., born January 2, 1873, who was married to Christine Kadd, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has two children, — Violet P. and Lester L.; Guy A., born December 9, 1874, who was married to Marie R. Gabouri, and has one child, Josephine Lenore; and Ralph S., born July 11, 1881, who resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Alice and an infant, deceased.